Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-07-25

DAILY HERALD.
ANOTHER NEW CITY.
A Rival FOOthill Paradise
to the Front.
LOFTY BEAUTIFUL REDLANDS.
Progress of a Settlement i'm South
: California in a Single
Year.
ANOTHER NEW CITY.
LOFTY BEAUTIFUL REDLANDs.

~ 'NN''i' p'o tst' NtoeoioS' NiiNii
representative of the HERALD visite,
the locality known as Redlands, il
San Bernardino county, when worl
had but just begun in the development
of that portion of the county of Sar
Bernardino. The heavens hac
been weeping, the springs were swol
len, the river was turbid and defiant
while the roads had ceased to ac
their part as highway, and the way
faring man had to struggle through
the mixture of rainwater and vegeta
BILE mold that lies between Cotton ant
Redlands in the rich bottom of til,
Santa Ana river. But after the val
ley was passed and the beautiful mes;
reached and ascended on the nortl
side of the Southern Pacific railroad
a rich scene was presented on every
side, of mountain, valley and plain.
Redlands is situated about seventy
miles east of Los Angeles on the cas-
of the Santa Ana river at an ele
walton of 900 to 200 feet above the
sea level, an inclined plane slopins
south and west, commanding vas
range of vision of unparalleled beauty
and richness. AT the time of this visi
the grand old mountains were mantled
with snow almost down to their bases
while all the valleys and plains were
green with luxuriant growth of al
filerilla mingled with wild flowers, the
orange trees were displaying theil
green and gold, and their snow white
fragrant blossoms, while the peach
trees were crimsoned with blossoms
almost too beautiful to look upon
without sadness at the thought that
they would soon change for a more
sober dress of emerald.
At that time really but few DAYS
ago, Redlands was in embryo. The
land had been purchased and the
great work had been begun of prepar-
ing it for homes of beauty that existed
in the imagination only.
Readers of the HERALD will remem-
Der that the charms of this region
have been repeatedly set forth in its
columns and all the pictures there
portrayed have been brought forth on
the great canvas of nature. In no
other part of the earth can such
transformations be wrought as in
South California. What has been
wrought in Monrovia has been re-
wrought in Redlands. The property
has been advertised literally in the
HERALD in the months that arc past,
and has attracted great attention.
This journal has continually in the
field representatives studying the soil
the typographical and climatic fea-
lures of every portion of the country
and the products that each section is
best qualified to yield. In these de-
scriptions of the rich localities of the
country Redlands and her sister Lu-
gonia have been well remembered.
They are one in appearance and loca-
ton, and jointly occupy proud mesa
of wondrous wealth.
The Redlands settlement was started
in Chicago by Mr.. l. N. Hoag, of Sac
ramento, who went out from the
northern citrus belt to Chicago as an
immigration agent. He caused much
attention to be directed to California
and committee OF the good people
of Chicago who had suffered from the
seventies of Chicago winters, came to
this state to examine the land. The
committee consisted of J. w. Ludlam,
II. G. Malone and X. j. Waters. These
gentlemen selected Redlands in the
San Bernardino valley as place for a
colony.
They purchased the Somers tract
and subdivided it into tracts of five
acres and ten acres each, and about
Christmas time of last year went to
work. What the energetic settlers
have accomplished would be an aston
ishment in any other country. The
town has grown up as if by magic.
Although but eight months old, it
has already two great cemented reser-
voirs, water piped all over tract of
about 500 acres of land that cost year
ago about 500 per acre for land, water
and piping, and is now selling at
5000 to $4OO per acre. Elegant houses
are springing up on all sides. Seven
miles of good streets have been made,
forty thousand grape vines have been
planted, mainly Muscat; sixteen
thousand orange trees have been
placed in orchard and a large number
of apricot and peach trees have been
set out; hedges have been planted
and flower gardens are numerous and
beautiful.
1t should be stated that large
number of the original colonists who
wanted to come to California, when
they heard that the land, after being
supplied with water and water pipes,
would cost the enormous sum OF $50
per acre, backed out. They wanted
iow-priced land in the Northern Citrus
Belt and would not pay 800 per acre
at Redlands. At a distance of 25OO
miles they considered themselves bet
ter able to Judge of the value of land
than those who had been here
and examined it. "'Twas ever thus. "
Now they are glad to come and
purchase OF their old neighbors at
1850 per acre that which they might
have had for 800 an acre less than a
year ago. ;,
Rediands seems trying to eclipse
Monrovia, Azusa, Arcadia, Lordsbure
and other towns in Los Angeles
county. The strife is one OF honor
and profit to all. The new town Is
about three miles from Brookside, on
the Southern Pacific Railroad
but will probably have the motor
road from Cotton extended there
within a year and branch of the
Southern Pacific or the California
Southern in the course of six months
The settlement now has bank
(Union Bank of Redlands), a newspa
per, the Citrograph; Congregations
and an Episcopal church nine busi
ness edifices as stores and shops; ;
Y. M. G. A. building, hotel, two
lumber yards and a planning mill;
brickyard and two water pipe fac
tories. No postofiice has yet been es
tablished at Redlands, but letters TO
the new city are sent to Lugonia, tn
beautiful settlement adjoining.